This time of year brings with it all of the sensual fruits. They seem more decadent, rich and sweet and just a little bit adult. To me they are the fruits of romance. Perhaps it is because the first time I ever ate a syrupy ripe fig was on my honeymoon in the South of France. We had a small house on a hill overlooking Saint-Tropez and a fig tree on the terrace. We’d sit under the tree, drink our morning coffee and pluck figs off to eat them while looking at the Côte d’Azur. It is hard not to associate anything in that picture with romance. But the figs were the star. Every year I look forward to eating them on our anniversary and this year I’m making them into a fig cake.
For those of you who have never tried a clump of champagne grapes you are in for a great treat. They are intensely sweet and gorgeous. A perfect pair for ripe cheeses if you are inclined to go that route for a final course. Everything you add them to ends up looking like a renaissance painting, which makes them the greatest garnish. They are very special and only available for a limited time every year, right around the fig season.
I got the inspiration for this simple fig cake from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours
How to Make Fig Cake
Find the full recipe at the bottom of this post!
Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter an 8-inch square baking dish (or one with an equivalent volume).
In a small bowl rub the orange zest and sugar together and set aside. This will bring out the oils in the zest and perfume your cake. Whisk together all of the dry ingredients and set aside.
Cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed, about 3 minutes until light.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each. Add the vanilla and mix in well.
Reduce the mixer and add the flour mixture and the buttermilk alternately, the flour in 3 parts and the buttermilk in 2.
You will end up with a think batter. With a rubber spatula spread it evenly in the pan.
Add the fruit decoratively over the batter.
Bake for about 50-60 minutes, or until it is golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.
Serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 orange zested
- 3/4 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk I substituted this with 1/4 cup milk + 1/4 cup plain yogurt
- 10 figs halved
- 1 handful of champagne grapes
- 1 pint raspberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter an 8-inch square baking dish (or one with an equivalent volume).
- In a small bowl rub the orange zest and sugar together and set aside. This will bring out the oils in the zest and perfume your cake. Whisk together all of the dry ingredients and set aside.
- Cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed, about 3 minutes until light. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each. Add the vanilla and mix in well.
- Reduce the mixer speed and add the flour mixture and the buttermilk alternately, the flour in 3 parts and the buttermilk in 2. You will end up with a think batter. With a rubber spatula spread it evenly in the pan. Add the fruit decoratively over the batter.
- Bake for about 50-60 minutes, or until it is golden brown and a skewer comes out clean. Serve with vanilla ice cream!
It looks like your link might be wrong. . You did a post on Nutella and banana bread, with a link to this fruit tort. I’m sure the tort is great, but….
Hi Mike,
Not sure how that happened? Here is the link again: http://zoebakescom.bigscoots-staging.com/2014/04/10/nutella-swirled-banana-bread/
Thanks, Zoë
I made this, and unfortunately, it is quite bland. I was quite surprised because the ingredients were amazing.
Zoe…I’m a wedding cake decorator, flavor adventurer, and hopeless romantic 🙂 Just had to say that your post made me both cry and drool haha! Thanks for sharing your talent in word and baking 🙂 Here’s to many more wonderful years with your husband and posting…cheers!